The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Various devices have been proposed for introducing and/or positioning elongate medical instruments in the human body. For instance, various catheter systems, introducer sheaths, and other elongate tubular members have been proposed for these purposes. More specifically, these devices include a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a tubular portion that extends into the body. A lumen extends through the proximal portion and the tubular portion. A medical instrument, such as a cardiac pacemaker lead or other vascular instrument, passes through the lumen into the body, and then the medical professional positions the medical instrument into a desired position. For instance, in some embodiments, the medical instrument is positioned within the patient's heart, blood vessel, or other portion of the body. Then, the medical professional removes the tubular portion of the catheter system.
Many catheter systems have been proposed that are designed to be removed without disturbing (i.e., inadvertently moving) the medical instrument from its desired position. For instance, some catheter systems include an elongate tubular member that can be torn and peeled apart longitudinally while being pulled out of the body. Other systems rely on an independent slitter with a blade that slits the elongate tubular member as it is pulled out of the body.